ADU Accelerator Demonstration in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center (MassCEC), a quasi-state economic development agency, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the ADU Accelerator Demonstration initiative. MassCEC supports the growth of the clean energy sector across Massachusetts by driving innovation and increasing adoption of climate and energy solutions. This initiative is aimed at addressing the housing shortage in Massachusetts by facilitating the development of prefabricated, all-electric Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) while promoting clean energy construction practices. MassCEC seeks to contract with one qualified Technical Assistance Consultant, referred to as the TA Provider, who will design, implement, and assess the ADU Accelerator program. The purpose of the ADU Accelerator is to support property owners in the Pioneer Valley region who are interested in building detached, prefabricated, all-electric ADUs. These units must be under 900 square feet and designed to meet Mass Save new home construction incentives. The initiative includes three major phases: the development phase for creating the program infrastructure and tools, the implementation phase during which technical assistance is provided to selected homeowners, and the final phase which involves reporting on lessons learned and recommending future policy initiatives. The program emphasizes increasing the success rate of ADU developments, reducing development timelines, and documenting the costs and outcomes of successful projects. MassCEC has allocated a total of $500,000 for this program, with the expectation that at least 20 all-electric, habitable ADUs will be constructed by the end of the program. The TA Provider will be responsible for lead generation, eligibility screening, providing technical and feasibility assistance, and collaborating on the development of a public-facing ADU Resource Center. The resource center will include guides, financial resources, visual references, feasibility tools, and case studies. While technical assistance is free for a limited number of hours (up to 50 hours per property owner), a modest fee may be charged for initial feasibility studies to gauge property owner commitment. Applicants must be private companies, consultants, or non-profits, preferably with a Massachusetts presence, and must demonstrate capacity to begin work by October 2025. They must also have local staffing capability in the Pioneer Valley. Applications must include a detailed plan broken down by project phases, a proposed budget and schedule, resumes of key staff, and relevant work samples. No letters of support are required. Applications must be submitted via email to buildings@masscec.com by August 12th, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. Questions are due by July 21st, 2025, with responses posted by July 29th, 2025. Evaluation criteria include the applicant’s relevant experience, quality and responsiveness of the program plan, soundness of budget and schedule, and overall innovation and quality of the proposal. Selected applicants may be interviewed in late August, with award notifications expected in September and contracting completed by October. The work will begin in October 2025 and is expected to span up to three years. Payment will be milestone-based, and proposals should include detailed deliverables and cost justifications for each phase of work.